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Oklahoma softball coach Patty Gasso skipping hall induction to watch son in Class 6A title game

NORMAN NORTH VS. JENKS — DJ Gasso will play in his final high school football game Friday night with a chance to win a state championship. His mother, Patty Gasso, is being inducted in the National Fastpitch Coaches Assocation's Hall of Fame on the same night.

Last December, the longtime Oklahoma softball coach was named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association’s 2012 Hall of Fame class with induction scheduled for Friday in Orlando, Fla.

Patty, DJ and Jim Gasso. PHOTO PROVIDED

She knew that the event could conflict with the Class 6A state championship football game her son, Norman North’s DJ Gasso, might be playing in.

As the final second ticked off of Norman North’s 49-42 win over Owasso in the semifinals last week, Gasso knew she might have a choice to make.

“I prayed that they’d schedule that game on Saturday so I could be in Florida on Friday and come back for the game,” Patty Gasso said.

DJ wasn’t sure what his mom would do.

“Mom, it’s OK, you need to go do that,” he told her.

“I wish she could be at both and I wish I could be there for both,” DJ said. “If she’s there, it’d be even better.”

Once the game time was announced as Friday night, there wasn’t much to ponder. Mom couldn’t miss the game.

So on Wednesday, Gasso left for Florida, where she will participate in some softball clinics and speak at an FCA breakfast. But she will fly back to Oklahoma before the induction — just in time to make it to Stillwater for DJ’s game against Jenks at 7:30 p.m. Friday night at Stillwater’s Boone Pickens Stadium.

DJ wasn't sure he'd make it to this season, much less make it through it.

Things started going south during last football season, when he developed tendinitis in both knees.

When baseball season started, the pain returned.

Then one day at practice, he felt something strange in his knee.

An MRI showed a torn patellar tendon. Eight weeks of physical therapy later, Gasso was ready to resume his baseball career. He wasn't sure football was worth the risk, though.

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by Ryan Aber

OU Athletics Reporter

Ryan Aber has worked for The Oklahoman since 2006, covering high schools, the Oklahoma City RedHawks, the Oklahoma City Barons and OU football recruiting. An Oklahoma City native, Aber graduated from Northeastern State. Before joining The...

Noteworthy: Jenks is playing for its first title since 2007, while Norman North is going for its first. ... Both teams feature players committed to Oklahoma. Norman North linebacker Jordan Evans committed to the Sooners earlier this week, while Jenks receiver Jordan Smallwood committed to OU during the summer. ... Norman North quarterback Peyton Gavras is the top passer in Class 6A. Last week he threw for nearly 400 yards and five touchdowns. ... Jenks running back Trey'vonne Barr'e has rushed for nearly 2,000 yards.